Nurse (Infection Preventionist Program Manager)

Summary

The Infection Prevention Program Manager Registered Nurse leads the Infection Prevention & Control Program for VA Portland Health Care System, ensuring regulatory compliance, directing system-wide prevention activities, and providing expert guidance to leadership and clinical teams. The role coordinates surveillance, mitigates infection risks, and supports evidence-based practices to promote safe, high-quality care across all care settings.

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Duties

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The Infection Prevention Program Manager Registered Nurse serves as the clinical and administrative leader responsible for the implementation of the Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Program. The incumbent partners with the Hospital Epidemiologist(s) to develop program goals, implement surveillance systems, mitigate risks, and promote safe, high-quality care for Veterans across inpatient, outpatient, long-term care, and specialty settings.

Duties include, but not limited to:

Program Leadership & Management

• Leads and manages the IPC Program across all VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS) sites, including inpatient, outpatient, long-term care, residential, and community-based clinics.
• Partners with the Hospital Epidemiologists to direct IPC program planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement efforts.

Regulatory Compliance & Policy Development

• Coordinates and participates in IPC Program policy and procedure development and review including the infection control manual, other mandatory documents, and outbreak reports.
• Ensures full compliance with VHA, The Joint Commission, OSHA, OIG, and applicable state regulations and adherence to national standards such as APIC, CDC, SHEA, and IDSA.

Surveillance, Analysis & Reporting

• Coordinates and conducts surveillance, analysis, and reporting of infection-related outcomes.
• Identifies trends, conducts risk assessments, and provides data-driven recommendations to leadership and frontline services.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration & Consultation

• Promote alliances across the care continuum, building trust through active listening, engagement, and emotional intelligence.
• Collaborates with internal stakeholders including but not limited to Employee Health, Industrial Hygiene, Patient Safety, Engineering, and Risk Management to provide consultation, reports, and programmatic support.
• Establishes and maintains partnerships with regional (VISN) and national (VACO) VA counterparts; local academic (OHSU) and community IP programs; as well as local and state public health.

Emergency Preparedness & Specialty Expertise

• Coordinates and provides IP expert consultation for emergency planning, including high-consequence infection and pandemic preparedness.

Education, Training & Professional Development

• Seeks knowledge from professional organizations to enhance personal leadership and career growth.
• Mentors and supports the professional growth of IPC Program team members and nursing students and staff.
• Leads educational initiatives and contributes to professional development activities that advance IPC knowledge across the organization.

Evidence-Based Practice, Research & Quality Improvement

• Leads evidence-based practice and quality improvement initiatives to improve infection-related outcomes and disseminates findings to stakeholders.
• Supports and/or initiates IPC-related research.

Leadership, Professionalism, and Clinical Accountability

• Demonstrates advanced clinical judgment with the ultimate goal to improve Veteran experience, safety, and quality of care.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards

Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8 hours shifts between 0700-1700.

Telework: Not Available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified applicants.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not authorized.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements :

• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6); OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD).
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.)

Preferred Experience

• Certification in Infection Control (CIC) preferred.
• Previous managerial experience.
• Four (4) or more years of experience as an Infection Preventionist.
• Four (4) or more years of direct nursing care experience.
• Proficiency in use of Excel and Powerpoint; infection prevention surveillance software; and medical record review.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification.

Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment:

Grade/Level

Scope

Education

Nurse II

Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others.

A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience.

Nurse III

Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting.

MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III.

* Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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